


Never Leave You Alone

by holy_milk



Series: prompt memes/requests [1]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, before the war of wrath, maglor makes a cameo, post-third kinslaying, this is a truly terrible au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-08 00:29:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21226802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holy_milk/pseuds/holy_milk
Summary: Elrond's greatest fear is losing his brother.Elros instists he has nothing to fear.





	Never Leave You Alone

**Author's Note:**

> The main divergence point is supposed to be a plot twist, so it's not revealed in the tags, but you can go to the end note if you want to avoid an unpleasant surprise.
> 
> Written for manyarel's request (Elrond + greatest fear) for [this prompt meme](https://venwe.tumblr.com/post/188632020310/send-me-characters-and-a-letter-and-ill-write) (still active, btw).

There was only one bed in the room occupied by the young sons of Eärendil.

It said a lot about the Fëanorions and their hospitality, yet at the same time Elrond was secretly glad of it. He had long grown used to sleeping in his own bed, but Elros’s familiar warmth offered the comfort he could hardly find anywhere else these days, his soft, steady breathing a better lullaby than any of Maglor’s songs.

And whenever Elrond woke up in the middle of the night, drenched in cold sweat and his whole body shaking, Elros would always lock their fingers together and guide him back to a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

Sometimes, however, he was far too upset with Elros to share the bed with him.

“Elrond,” Elros called impatiently from where he lay sprawled on the bed, “how long are you going to sit there?”

Elrond gritted his teeth and said nothing, looking pointedly away. He was sitting in the far shadowy corner of the room, covered with dust and old spiderwebs. Elros rolled onto his stomach, resting his head on his crossed arms and giving his twin a long-suffering look.

“Why are you so upset with me?”

“Why do you think?” Elrond mumbled. Elros frowned.

“Is it because I didn’t want to sit through another poetry lesson with you?”

Elrond made a strange noise at the back of his throat. Elros let out a sigh.

“Listen, I’m sorry if you got reprimanded on my behalf—”

But Elrond shook his head.

“It’s not like that,” he stared at his toes with unseeing eyes. “Maglor doesn’t mind you not showing up to his lessons. In fact, I think he prefers when it’s only me.”

Elros raised his eyebrows.

“What is it, then?”

Elrond hesitated, picking at a loose thread in his nightshirt.

“It’s just—” he whispered, “we hardly ever spend time together now. And you can call me an idiot all you want, Elros, but— but sometimes I feel as if I’m all alone when you’re not around.”

He felt rather than heard Elros sliding from the bed and padding over to sit with him.

“You’re an idiot, Elrond,” he said fondly, nudging his twin with his elbow. “No way I would ever leave you here alone.”

Elrond fumbled in the darkness for his brother’s hand.

"I’ll never leave you,” Elros whispered.

"Never,” echoed Elrond.

* * *

Maglor hovered at the door of Elrond’s chamber, pinching the bridge of his nose wearily as he listened to the child’s voice, muffled by the sturdy wooden door.

Maedhros had refused to listen to him when he raised his concerns in a conversation earlier. He saw nothing disconcerting in the boy’s behaviour and thought there was hardly any cause for alarm.

But if talking to one’s long dead brother wasn’t a cause for alarm, then what could ever be one?

**Author's Note:**

> In this AU Elros dies during/shortly after the Third Kinslaying.


End file.
